Collapsible arm chair

ABSTRACT

A chair is provided which is collapsible for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis between an erect position and a generally horizontally disposed position. The chair includes a selectively releasable latch for locking the chair in the erect position and means effective to prevent release of the latch and movement of the chair to the collapsed position when the chair is occupied.

United States Patent Chapman 1 1 Nov. 21, 1972 54 COLLAPSIBLE ARM CHAIR 1,364,181 1/1921 Cluff ..297/336 x 1,245,195 11/1917 Crane et al. ..297/35 [72] 223": Chapman 3,058,773 10/1962 Panicci ..297/35 3,443,835 5/1969 Brunskole ..297/35 [73] Assignee: Clarin Corp., Chicago, Ill. [22] Filed: Dec. 3 1970 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Appl. No.: 94,807

[52] US. Cl. ..297/35, 297/15, 297/331 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 1/12 [58] Field of Search ..297/35, 15, l4, 13, 331-336 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 328,883 10/1885 Felton ..297/l5 842,660 1/1907 Harvey ..297/l5 Attorney-Fitch, Even & Tabin & Luedeka [57] ABSTRACT A chair is provided which is collapsible for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis between an erect position and a generally horizontally disposed position. The chair includes a selectively releasable latch for locking the chair in the erect position and means effective to prevent release of the latch and movement of the chair to the collapsed position when the chair is occupied.

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COLLAPSIBLE ARM cnsm The present invention relates to collapsible chairs of the type adapted for use in auditoriums or the like. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved construction for such chairs which prevents them from being inadvertently rendered subject to collapse, especially when they are occupied.

In the construction of chairs for auditoriums and the like, it is conventional to provide the chair with a folding seat, that is, to mount the seat portion of the chair so as to enable it to pivot between a generally horizontal seat-defining position and a generally vertical outof-the-way position which enables patrons to more easily pass one or more seats of a row in gaining access to or leaving a chair removed from an aisle.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,835 discloses an auditorium-type chair which includes such a pivotally mounted seat. In addition, however, each chair of the type described, including the seat, the backrest, and the vertical side members, is adapted to be collapsed by pivoting it forwardly about a horizontal axis adjacent the chair base. It is intended that rows of such chairs be mounted on platforms or stairs separated by risers and arranged in gradually ascending relation to one another. The platforms are slideable horizontally relative to one another, much like drawers in a cabinet, so that when the chairs are collapsed, the platforms may be shifted to a position in which the chairs and platforms are disposed one beneath the other in a vertical stack.

While the chair of the aforementioned patent provides numerous advantages, it is believed that certain safety features which would prevent it from being inadvertently rendered subject to collapse, as when it is occupied, would enhance its appeal.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible chair.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible chair constructed so as to minimize the likelihood that the chair will be inadvertently collapsed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible chair showing various of the features of the present invention, the chair in its entirety being illustrated locked in its erect or uncollapsed position and the seat being shown in full lines in the folded position and in phantom in the unfolded position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the chair of FIG. 1 in its collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the chair of FIG. 1 in its erect or uncollapsed position with the seat and backrest being shown in phantom for clarity of illustration; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the chair in a condition similar to that in which it is shown in FIG. 1, but with the arm rests of the chair raised and the chair subject to collapse.

Very generally, there is illustrated in the drawings one embodiment of a chair which incorporates various features of the present invention. It includes a pair of horizontally spaced side members 12, each of which, together with the remainder of the chair, 'is pivotally movable between an erect position as shown in FIG. I and a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 2. A latch 14 is provided for each side member 12 effective to releasably lock its respective side member in the erect position (FIG. I). An armrest 16 is pivotally mounted on each side member 12 and is connected to the latch 14 such that when the arms are in a horizontal operative position (FIGS. I and 3), the latch 14 locks the side members in an erect position but, when the armrests are raised (FIG. 4), the latch releases the side members to permit movement of the chair to the collapsed position. A seat 18 is pivotally mounted on the side members 12 for movement between an unfolded and a folded position (FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively), and a backrest 20 also extends between the side members and is fixed relative thereto.

More specifically, the collapsible chair I0 is intended to be mounted on one of a series of shiftable platforms 22 separated by risers 24 and, in this regard, includes a pair of upstanding, horizontally spaced anchoring brackets 26, each of which is bolted to one of the platforms 22 and is connected by a bifurcated strap 28 to the front face of the adjacent riser 24. Each bracket 26 comprises a plate bent into a U-shape so as to provide a pair of parallel vertical side walls 30, each of which in cludes a vertical open-ended slot 32 extending downwardly from its upper edge.

The lower end of a side member is disposed intermediate the side walls 30 of each bracket 26 and pivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin 34. The side members 12, and with them the seat 18 and backrest 20, are thus capable of being pivoted about a single horizontal axis defined by the pins 34 between the erect and the collapsed positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Pivotal movement of the chair from the erect position in a direction away from the collapsed position, i.e., in a counterclockwise direction as the chair is viewed in FIG. 3, is prevented by cross pins 36, one of which is mounted so as to extend between the upstanding side walls 30 of each bracket 26 in a position in which it will engage the front edge of the lower portion of the side member supported by the bracket.

Each side member 12 is defined by a pair of horizontally spaced plates 38 interconnected along their rearward edges by a web 40 and by certain other elements, hereinafter described, which extend between the plates. The lower end of each side member plate is provided with an elongated slot 42 disposed so that its longitudinal axis is vertical and so that its lower end is in registry with the slot 32 in the adjacent side wall 30 of the bracket 26 when the side member is in the erect position. The slots 42 of the two plates of each side member are also is registry with each other. An armrest 16 is pivotally mounted at the upper end of each side member by means of a pin 44 located adjacent the rearward end of the armrest.

Movably disposed between the side plates 38 of each side member 12 is a rigid link 46 pivotally connected by a pin 47 at its upper end to the respective armrest I6 and provided at its lower end with a locking pin 48 which is movable within the slots 32 in the brackets 26 and the slots 42 in the side members 12. When the locking pins 48 of the links 46 of the two side members are within the slots 32 of the brackets 26, the side memhere are prevented from rocking forwardly, thus maintaining the chair in the erect position of FIG. 1. The locking pins are moved out of the slots 32 by upward pivotal movement of the armrests 16.

The backrest extends between the side members 12 and is connected thereto so as to maintain the side members in spaced relation to each other and rigidify the chair. The seat 18 comprises a cushion mounted on a frame 50, the seat frame being pivotally connected to the side members 12 by pivots S2 fitted on forwardly extending projections 53 of the side members. The seat is thus movable from the normal seating position shown in phantom in FIG. 3 to the folded position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. The unfolded or seating position is defined by the interengagement of an abutment 54 formed on the inner surfaces of the side members 12 and a stop 56 affixed to each side of the seat frame 50. The seat is preferably weighted so that it is biased to move to its folded position when not occupied.

In order to fold the chair into its collapsed position shown in FIG. 2 from the erect position shown in FIG. 1, the armrests 16 are pivoted upwardly, thus raising the links 46 and withdrawing the locking pins 48 from the open-ended slots 32 of the brackets 26. When the locking pins 48 are disengaged from the slots 32, the side members 12 may simply be rotated about the pivot pins 34 to bring the chair into the position shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, in order to bring the chair back into the erect position for use, it is rotated in the reverse direction about the pivots 34. When the chair has again reached the erect position, the armrests are lowered to bring the locking pins 48 into the short vertical slots 32, thereby holding the seat securely in the erect position.

The foregoing description is consistent with that disclosed in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,443,835. While the chair disclosed in that patent is functional and useful, it has the disadvantage that the chair can be inadvertently collapsed, as when the armrests 16 are raised while the chair is occupied, or when the seat is lowered while the armrests are raised and an individual then attempts to occupy the chair.

To prevent such inadvertent collapse of the chair of the present invention, means are provided which prevent the armrests 16 from being pivoted upwardly so as to release the locking pin 48 from the slot 32 when the seat is in the unfolded position shown in phantom in FIG. 3, and which prevent the seat from being unfolded when the armrests are raised. Thus, by virtue of the construction of the present invention, it is not possible for an occupant of the chair, while sitting on the seat 18, to pivot the armrests l6 upwardly so as to move the pin 48 to an unlocked position. Nor is it possible for an individual to approach a chair in which the armrests are raised (the chair being therefore not locked in the erect position) and lower the seat to a seat-defining position.

More specifically, it will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 4 that the stop 56 which is affixed to the side of the frame 50 of the seat 18 is in the form of a block which is secured to one end of a curved strip 58, one lateral edge of which is contiguous with the seat frame. The strip 58 projects laterally from the frame in generally normal relation thereto. The stop 56 is located adjacent the rear of the seat and the strip 58 extends forwardly past the stop, as seen best in FIG. 3.

In addition, secured to the forward face of each link 46 so as to be positioned immediately above the forwardly extending projection 53 of its respective side member 12 when the armrests 16 are in their lowermost position is a transversely disposed cross bar 60, and mounted on the inner surface of each side member 12 for pivotal movement about a point offset from its longitudinal center is a locking bar 62 (FIG. 3). The locking bar 62 hangs in a vertically oriented disposition when the seat 18 is in the folded position but is engaged by the strip 58 of the seat as the seat is unfolded so as to cause the leading edge of the upper portion of the locking bar 62 to engage and bear downwardly on the cross bar 60 (FIG. 3). Thus, when the seat is in the unfolded position, the locking bar 62 prevents the cross bar 60 and, hence, the link 46 from moving upwardly, thereby preventing the armrest from being raised and the locking pin 48 from being moved out of the slot 32 of the bracket 26. Accordingly, when the seat is in the seat-defining or unfolded condition, as when occupied by an individual, and the armrests are down, as in FIG. 1, the armrests cannot be raised and the chair cannot be collapsed.

In addition, by virtue of the improved construction of the chair, when the arms are in the raised position (FIG. 4) and the locking pin 48 is out of the slot 32 so as to render the chair subject to collapse, the seat cannot be fully unfolded to its seat-defining position, thus preventing an individual from lowering the seat and attempting to sit in it when the chair is in an unstable condition. In this regard, the strip 58, which serves to cam the locking bar 62 when the seat is unfolded and the armrests are in the lowered position, is of such a width that when the armrests are in the raised position and the locking pins 48 are adjacent the upper end of the slots 42 of the side members, the strips will pivot to engage the inwardly protruding ends of the locking pins and thus prevent a sufficient unfolding of the seat to permit an individual to occupy it. More specifically, the lower end of the strip 58 will pivot along a path indicated by the doubled headed arrow in FIG. 4 to abut the pin 48, which is located adjacent the lower arrowhead, and thus be blocked from further movement thereby preventing the seat 18 from being fully unfolded.

Thus, the chair disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,835, is constructed so as to render it collapsible when the armrests are raised. By virtue of the present improved construction, the armrests cannot be raised when the chair is occupied, thereby preventing an occupant from unwittingly rendering the chair collapsible while seated in it. Further, the seat of the chair cannot be lowered and the chair can thus not be occupied if the armrests are in the raised position, thereby preventing an individual from sitting down in the chair while it is in an unstable condition.

While specific means have been shown and described for providing the chair with the aforementioned safety features, it should be apparent that various other means could be provided consistent with the present invention. For example, instead of the cross bar 60 being secured to the rigid link 46 for engagement by the locking bar 62, the locking bar could be provided with a protrusion which would fit within a notch in the link 46 when the seat was unfolded and the armrests lowered. Similarly, instead of the protruding locking pin for preventing the seat from being lowered when the armrests are in the raised position, an alternate protrusion could be provided on the link 46.

Various of the features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A collapsible chair comprising a pair of horizontally spaced side members, means mounting said side members on a platform for pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis between an erect position in which said side members are upstanding and a collapsed position in which said side members are generally horizontally disposed, a backrest disposed in termediate said spaced side members and connected thereto, a seat disposed intermediate said spaced side members and mounted on each of said side members for free pivotal movement when said side members are stationary and erect about a second generally horizontal axis between a folded upwardly extending position and an unfolded seat-defining position, a latch movable between a locking position in which said side members are maintained in said erect position and a released position in which said side members are free to pivot about said first generally horizontal axis, locking means movable into engagement with said latch when said seat is pivoted to said unfolded seat-defining position and said latch is in said locking position effective to maintain said latch in said locking position and prevent pivotal movement of said side members from said erect position, said means for mounting each of said side members on a platform including an upstanding bracket defining an upwardly open downwardly extending slot, each of said side members defining a slot for registery with the slot of its respective bracket when said side member is erect, said latch comprising a locking pin slideably carried in said slots of each of said side members for movement into and out of said slots of said bracket, said latch further comprises a link connected to each of said locking pins and being effective when moved longitudinally to effect sliding movement of said locking pins in said slots, said latch being in a fully locked position when each locking pin is disposed in both a slot of said bracket and a slot of said adjacent side member, said locking means being effective to prevent longitudinal movement of said link when said seat is in said unfolded seat-defining position, a pair of armrests, each of said armrests being pivotally mounted on one of said side members, each of said armrests being connected to one of said links so that pivotal movement of said armrests effects longitudinal movement of said links, each of said links being generally vertically disposed and provided with an upwardly facing surface, said locking means including a locking bar pivotally mounted on each of said side members, each locking bar being provided with a surface engageable with said upwardly facing surface of its adjacent link and being swingable to a locking position in which said surface of said locking locking bar engages and bears downwardly upon said upwardly facing surface of said link when said locking pins movable by said links are fully inserted in said slots, and means on said seat engage and swing said locking bar into said locking positio sai ea ivot dto'ts unf lded s't'o cdil apsibi chair in accor ance vf'i c aim 1,

wherein said upwardly facing surface is in the form of a projection provided on each of said links, and wherein said locking bars are swingablc to a locking position in which they engage and bear downwardly upon said projection.

1 I III III III 

1. A collapsible chair comprising a pair of horizontally spaced side members, means mounting said side members on a platform for pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis between an erect position in which said side members are upstanding and a collapsed position in which said side members are generally horizontally disposed, a backrest disposed intermediate said spaced side members and connected thereto, a seat disposed intermediate said spaced side members and mounted on each of said side members for free pivotal movement when said side members are stationary and erect about a second generally horizontal axis between a folded upwardly extending position and an unfolded seat-defining position, a latch movable between a locking position in which said side members are maintained in said erect position and a released position in which said side members are free to pivot about said first generally horizontal axis, locking means movable into engagement with said latch when said seat is pivoted to said unfolded seat-defining position and said latch is in said locking position effective to maintain said latch in said locking position and prevent pivotal movement of said side members from said erect position, said means for mounting each of said side members on a platform including an upstanding bracket defining an upwardly open downwardly extending slot, each of said side members defining a slot for registery with the slot of its respective bracket when said side member is erect, said latch comprising a locking pin slideably carried in said slots of each of said side members for movement into and out of said slots of said bracket, said latch further comprises a link connected to each of said locking pins and being effective when moved longitudinally to effect sliding movement of said locking pins in said slots, said latch being in a fully locked position when each locking pin is disposed in both a slot of said bracket and a slot of said adjacent side member, said locking means being effective to prevent longitudinal movement of said link when said seat is in said unfolded seat-defining position, a pair of armrests, each of said armrests being pivotally mounted on one of said side members, each of said armrests being connected to one of said links so that pivotal movement of said armrests effects longitudinal movement of said links, each of said links being generally vertically disposed and provided with an upwardly facing surface, said locking means including a locking bar pivotally mounted on each of said side members, each locking bar being provided with a surface engageable with said upwardly facing surface of its adjacent link and being swingable to a locking position in which said surface of said locking locking bar engages and bears downwardly upon said upwardly facing surface of said link when said locking pins movable by said links are fully inserted in said slots, and means on said seat engage and swing said locking bar into said locking position as said seat is pivoted to its unfolded position.
 1. A collapsible chair comprising a pair of horizontally spaced side members, means mounting said side members on a platform for pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis between an erect position in which said side members are upstanding and a collapsed position in which said side members are generally horizontally disposed, a backrest disposed intermediate said spaced side members and connected thereto, a seat disposed intermediate said spaced side members and mounted on each of said side members for free pivotal movement when said side members are stationary and erect about a second generally horizontal axis between a folded upwardly extending position and an unfolded seat-defining position, a latch movable between a locking position in which said side members are maintained in said erect position and a released position in which said side members are free to pivot about said first generally horizontal axis, locking means movable into engagement with said latch when said seat is pivoted to said unfolded seat-defining position and said latch is in said locking position effective to maintain said latch in said locking position and prevent pivotal movement of said side members from said erect position, said means for mounting each of said side members on a platform including an upstanding bracket defining an upwardly open downwardly extending slot, each of said side members defining a slot for registery with the slot of its respective bracket when said side member is erect, said latch comprising a locking pin slideably carried in said slots of each of said side members for movement into and out of said slots of said bracket, said latch further comprises a link connected to each of said locking pins and being effective when moved longitudinally to effect sliding movement of said locking pins in said slots, said latch being in a fully locked position when each locking pin is disposed in both a slot of said bracket and a slot of said adjacent side member, said locking means being effective to prevent longitudinal movement of said link when said seat is in said unfolded seat-defining position, a pair of armrests, each of said armrests being pivotally mounted on one of said side members, each of said armrests being connected to one of said links so that pivotal movement of said armrests effects longitudinal movement of said links, each of said links being generally vertically disposed and provided with an upwardly facing surface, said locking means including a locking bar pivotally mounted on each of said side members, each locking bar being provided with a surface engageable with said upwardly facing surface of its adjacent link and being swingable to a locking position in which said surface of said locking locking bar engages and bears downwardly upon said upwardly facing surface of said link when said locking pins movable by said links are fully inserted in said slots, and means on said seat engage and swing said locking bar into said locking position as said seat is pivoted to its unfolded position. 